Leopold Museum

About the museum

The foundation of the museum is the private collection of the Viennese eye doctor, passionate collector and museum founder Prof. Rudolf Leopold (1925–2010) and his wife Elisabeth (1926–2024), who assembled Austrian art over four decades from the 1950s onward. Early on they acquired works by Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt, when these artists were still little valued and comparatively cheap to buy.

In 1994 a large part of the holdings, around 5,200 works, passed to the newly founded Leopold Museum-Privatstiftung. The Republic of Austria and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank paid the collector an amount roughly equal to a third of the total value. Another part remained a private collection, which Rudolf Leopold continued to expand until his death. He led the house as museological director and board member until his death in 2010.

In 2001 the museum opened in a purpose-built new building in the MuseumsQuartier. Designed by the architects Laurids and Manfred Ortner (O&O), the building is made of light shell limestone. The cube offers around 5,400 square meters of exhibition space on several levels. It lies on an axis with the Kunsthistorisches Museum, while the mumok, on the opposite side of the site, shows art after 1945.

Today the collection comprises around 9,000 objects, from Biedermeier through atmospheric Impressionism, Symbolism and Art Nouveau to Expressionism and New Objectivity. With around 300 works, including 48 paintings, the house holds the most extensive Schiele holding in the world. Since 2019 the permanent presentation "Wien 1900. Aufbruch in die Moderne" has brought together painting, graphic art and applied art of Viennese Modernism; comprehensive monographic special exhibitions and thematic shows run alongside it. As a center of competence for Viennese Modernism, the museum operates the Egon Schiele Documentation Center, organizes the Egon Schiele Symposia and conducts ongoing provenance research.

Highlights

• World's largest Egon Schiele collection, with around 300 works
• Largest permanent presentations on Gustav Klimt, Richard Gerstl and Oskar Kokoschka
• Gustav Klimt: "Tod und Leben", "Ein Morgen am Teiche" and "Am Attersee"
• Egon Schiele: "Sitzender Männerakt (Selbstdarstellung)", "Bildnis Wally Neuzil" and "Selbstbildnis mit Lampionfrüchten"
• Furniture and applied art of the Wiener Werkstätte, including works by Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffmann, Otto Prutscher and Dagobert Peche
• Works by Carl Moll, Richard Gerstl, Oskar Kokoschka and Albin Egger-Lienz
• Permanent presentation "Wien 1900. Aufbruch in die Moderne"

Permanent exhibitions

• Wien 1900. Aufbruch in die Moderne – Permanent presentation across several levels on Viennese Modernism: paintings and graphic works by Klimt, Schiele, Kokoschka and Gerstl, alongside furniture and objects of the Wiener Werkstätte.
• Fokusausstellung „Deutscher Expressionismus“
• „Vom Expressionismus zur Neuen Sachlichkeit“

Founded

2001

Operated by

Leopold Museum-Privatstiftung

Director

Hans-Peter Wipplinger

Admission & discounts

Free admission with the Kulturpass ("Hunger auf Kunst und Kultur"), ICOM card, for annual pass holders, members of the Circle of Patrons and licensed Viennese tour guides. Accepted are, among others, the Vienna Pass, Flexi Pass, Vienna City Card, Vienna E-Pass and Ö1 Club. Tickets bought at the ticket desk are valid for one year; online tickets are valid for the chosen day.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

According to the museum, largely accessible. An outdoor lift at the back leads to the level of the main entrance; next to the revolving door there is a wide door with an EuroKey opener. All exhibition levels can be reached by lift (cabin width 89 cm). Wheelchairs and folding stools are available free of charge at the cloakroom (ID, advance registration recommended). Accessible toilets on the ground floor (Euro key) and on level −1. Tactile models of works by Schiele and Klimt and of the building. Marked accessible parking spaces at the rear of the museum (access to the MuseumsQuartier near the Volkstheater).

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Baby changing facilities

LEO children's studio for ages 6–12 every Saturday and Sunday 15:00–16:30 (short tour and workshop, from €5 per child). Free children's and youth audio tour on your own smartphone, e.g. "Mit Poldi und Leo durchs Museum" for ages 6–11. Family tickets for adults with young people under 19.

Getting there & parking

Bicycle parking in front of the museum.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers
• Wi-Fi

Café Leopold on level 2, also accessible from outside without an entry ticket (daily 10:00–24:00, breakfast until 12:00). Museum shop on level 1. Reference library by appointment.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Up to 250 guests.

Available to rent: atrium, lower atrium, studio, lounge, auditorium and museum rooms. The atrium and lower atrium each hold up to 250 guests for a standing reception or 150 for a gala dinner. Level −2 can be expanded with further museum rooms to up to 1,240 m². Atrium and lounge only outside opening hours. The rent includes the guests' admission, staff and furniture; catering and technology are extra.

Plan your visit